Friedrich Born, Chief Delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross of Switzerland in Budapest, Hungary, 1944-45

Friedrich Born was the Chief Delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of Switzerland in Budapest, Hungary.  He was sent to Budapest in May 1944.  During the period from May 1944 to January 1945, Born issued thousands of Red Cross letters of protection to Jews of Budapest.  He and his staff, along with numerous Jewish volunteers, are credited with saving thousands of Jews from deportation camps and death marches in and around Budapest.  Born provided an additional 4,000 Jews with employment papers, preventing their deportation.  He put 60 Jewish institutions under Red Cross protection and housed over 7,000 Jewish children and orphans.  He worked closely with the other neutral diplomatic legations, and set up dozens of Red Cross protected houses.  Born's Red Cross operation is credited with rescuing between 11,000 and 15,000 Jews in Budapest.  Friedrich Born worked closely with Red Cross representative Hans Weyermann. 

After the war, Born was criticized by the Red Cross for overstepping his authority in his rescue activities.  A postwar report completely vindicated Born's actions and forced the Red Cross to reassess its wartime policies.  Born died in Switzerland in 1963. 

Friedrich Born was declared Righteous Among the Nations by Israel in 1987.